truth + fairy tales

BRIGHT SIDE UP ↑

2012-01-28T15:05:00.001-05:00

hi everyone,

forgive me if this posts begins a bit self indulgent, but i figured i would share with you my soul searching of late. hopefully some of you will relate! my life has changed so much in the past few years, and to be honest, trying to BE BRAVE during these changes has definitely had me stultified at times. after completing a yoga teacher training, studying a ton about the meaning of yoga, and being exposed to 'perception changing philosophies' it gave me the idea for the concept of my business WARRIOR HEART. foremost, it is a design company that looks to unearth the unique identity in all things; combined with working on projects that are soul based. this concept came from the intention that being a warrior, a spiritual warrior, who spreads positive energy, love, and compassion to others, as much if not more than the love one has for the self, will bring about positive change and energy to all.

it can be challenging to live this way everyday, to try to only exude positive energy, to try to perceive only the positive side of everything, seeing that glass as always full. retraining negative thoughts to only positive ones, is a daily battle for this here warrior heart! yes i did say it, i said TRY... because life does throw us curve balls and sometimes the road is hard, but without dark, sometimes you can never know light. in living this way or "trying" to live this way, i keep happily finding myself surrounded by others who spread this VERY word. one such person is an author friend of mine from my magazine days, AMY SPENCER. she has an awesome new book out titled: BRIGHT SIDE UP: 100 WAYS TO BE HAPPIER RIGHT NOW. it is a book comprised of one hundred short chapters on finding the silver lining in any situation. here is a quote from amy's book that spoke to me immediately:

“We’re afraid to be turned down, so we don’t ask. We’re afraid someone won’t like our song, so we don’t play it. We’re afraid to be thought foolish, so we don’t ask questions. We’re afraid we’ll be bad at explaining it, so we don’t stand up and try. Well, here’s a different idea: Let’s show fear what we’re made of and give ourselves a chance to see what we can do. Because facing a fear brings reward no matter what. You’ll be rewarded with success, or you”ll be rewarded with pride that you tried. Either way, you win.”

because facing a fear brings reward no matter what... either way you win. say it again!! repeat it over and over. face your fears. BE BRAVE. TRY!!! don't you just want to run out and get her book immediately?? who doesn't need more bright side in their life?? i know, i know... believe me, despite trying to always be positive, it is quite easy to fall off the wagon. just too damn easy to get stuck in negative patterns of thought. just be gentile with yourself and get back on the horse (yes i know...it sounds so cliche!). need a little coaxing... just remember this quote from amy's book:

"Seeing bright side up is just that: a way to look at life that makes it easier than ever to see the secret, to find the good. The way a magician can lead you to look at his hands from a different angle, we can look at our lives in a fresh way, turning mountains into molehills, our fury into calm, our irritation into gratification, and our anger lines into laughs."

ok have to run for now, but until i post again...
you will find me livin' BRIGHT SIDE UP (or trying
to anyway!). xo, nikki

CHECK OUT AMY'S BOOK(isn't she pretty!), BLOGS, AND SITE AT THE LINKS BELOW:

www.amyspencer.com
www.brightsideup.com
www.thedatingoptimist.com
www.meetingyourhalforange.com

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EVERYDAY SUNSHINE

fishbone

♡

on the up and up

2012-01-16T22:16:00.000-05:00

happy new year everyone! it has been too long. i have been quite busy growing my

business, warrior heart studio and have been diving deeper into the world of

pinterest and tumblr. make sure to check out the links below. curated with much love and passion, there are many images that i hope will inspire all. xoxo, nikki

warriorheartstudio.tumblr.com/

pinterest.com/warriorheart/

www.warriorheartstudio.com/

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RIVERS + ROADS

the head and the heart

♡

all neon like

2011-10-16T22:25:00.000-04:00

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ALL NEON LIKE

bjork

♡

this ♥ is a warrior heart

2011-10-13T14:08:00.000-04:00

hi everyone! i haven't blogged in awhile because i have been busy working on my new business. WARRIOR HEART, the union of yoga, art, and design. it is inspiring others to discover their own unique identity, whether it be unearthed through a yoga class, a painted portrait, or a design concept, every individual has a hidden potential within.

warrior heart offers creative vinyasa flow privates or groups up to ten people, workshops, harmonium performances, commissioned art work, portraits in acrylic, oil, charcoal or pencil (or the medium of your choice), and art direction, graphic design, web design, logo and concept design that always conveys one's unique identity.

please check the website i designed, www.warriorheartstudio.com!!! the flyer below is a very unique workshop presented by WARRIOR HEART (that's me of course, creative director + yogi) and SHAKTI PHOTO, brittany irwin a brilliant photographer + also an amazing yogi (her website is in the works by yours truly). much light + love, nikki xo

WARRIOR HEART STUDIO IS LOCATED IN MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ, BUT THIS UNIQUE WORKSHOP CAN
HAPPEN AT ANY STUDIO OR SPACE WITH A LOT OF LIGHT, ANYWHERE! HAPPY TO GO ON THE ROAD!!

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GIVE LOVE

mc yogi

♡

stardust

2011-08-27T12:57:00.000-04:00

LOVE everything about these photos and their movement. the sky in the background, the dessert, the stardust, the stillness and motion that is happening at the same time, and the overall magic they convey. stumbled upon these on fashion designer gretchen jones' blog. thanks to her for posting these beautiful images in motion. the images remind me of bjork's (forever a huge fan) two new singles crystalline and cosmogony and an article that i read on elephant journal about bjork's yoga infused poetic lyrics. a quote from the post:
"the song takes me on a magical yogic journey that goes deep into our bodies, and gets exploded out into the stars." sooo beautiful!!! check the post out here and listen to both of bjorks songs below. be safe and be calm during the storm over the next few days.

much love + stardust,
nikki xoxo

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CRYSTALLINE

bjork

♡

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COSMOGONY

bjork

♡

love + light

2011-08-08T23:39:00.001-04:00

hi there! i know i have been MIA. i have missed blogging, but yoga has kind of taken over in the passion area as of late. i have been submerged in the world of love + light; just having finished my first 200 hour teacher training and then recently was so so honored to have been accepted into the Conquering Lion Training Program with renowned NYC yoga teacher Kelly Morris, starting in september. all the while trying to start my own business, and of course tippy top of my list, that which i am most passionate about is being a mother to my two beautiful boys. anyhow, enough of me...here are some of my favorites, from the many brilliant photos i came across on gretchen jones' blog...remember her? she was the winner of project runway season 8. love love love (did i say LOVE) her aesthetic and her fashion and jewelry collection. check her out PRONTO- she is such an inspiration!! ok gotta run. until we meet again (so many ideas and not enough time in the day and night)...

♥ much love (+ light), nikki xoxo

PS: besides leaving you with the most brilliant motto above...for info on any and all of these photos posted (plus so many more) please check out gretchen jones' blog, or feel free to email me or contact me via facebook. ♥

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SKINNY LOVE

bon iver

♡

♥ heart of a yogi

2011-03-29T17:07:00.000-04:00

IMAGE FROM HEART OF A YOGI

hi everyone... it has been over a month since i have posted. i have been deep in a yoga teacher training so my life as been consumed with, yes of course...YOGA! i have posted before about my love for yoga and i believe it has grown even deeper if that is at all possible. i have met so many amazing women since starting my training at the yoga and healing center in scotch plains, nj. one of the women i have bonded with has a beautiful blog called HEART OF A YOGI. check it out!!! hope to get the fashion karma post up soon! enjoy + namaste, nikki xo

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ONE DAY

matisyahu

♡

♥ Happy Valentine's Day ♥

2011-02-14T12:01:00.000-05:00

Do you know what you are?
You are a manuscript of a divine letter.
You are a mirror reflecting a noble face.
This universe is not outside of you.
Look inside yourself;
...everything that you want,
you are already that.
- Rumi

(Today, LOVE yourself!)

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LOVE YOU MORE
time without consequence

alexi murdoch

♡

pure innovation

2011-02-02T09:41:00.000-05:00

in a world where everything is saturated with concepts and ideas that have been altered just enough to seem fresh and new... pure innovation is astounding to me! i knew i had stumbled upon exactly that, when i came across 23 year old artist ALEXA MEADE, while reading nylon magazine a few days ago. here is a little about her brilliance...

"Alexa Meade has innovated a Trompe-L’Oeil painting technique that can perceptually compress three-dimensional space into a two-dimensional plane. Her work is a fusion of installation, painting, performance, photography, and video art.

Rather than painting a representational picture on a flat canvas, Meade paints her representational image directly on top of her three-dimensional subjects. The subject and its representation become one and the same. Essentially, her art imitates life on top of life.

Meade’s approach to portraiture questions our understanding of the body and identity. Meade coats her models with a mask of paint, obscuring the body while intimately exposing it, creating an unflinchingly raw account of the person. The painted second skin perceptually dissolves the body into a 2D caricature. The subjects become art objects as they are transformed into re-interpretations of themselves. In turn, the models’ identities become altered by their new skin, embodying Meade’s dictated definition of their image to the viewer.

Meade’s project plays on the tensions between being and permanence. The physical painting exists only for mere hours and is obliterated when the model sheds its metaphorical skin. What endures is an artifact of the performance, a 2D photograph extracted from the 3D scene. The photographic presentations create a tension between the smoothness of the physical photographs and the tactility of the painted installations captured within them, blurring the lines between what is depicted and depiction itself." - via alexameade.com

it is completely inspiring to know that there is still space in this creative world for something new! let that be food for thought... xoxo nikki

ps: check out alexa meade's website to view her portfolio + flickr page, as well as, juxtapoz magazine for an online interview with the artist herself.

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A CASE OF YOU
blue

joni mitchell

♡

merry christmas ♥

2010-12-24T12:22:00.000-05:00

"the hub of calmness... that's your heart.
that's were God lives within you.
so stop looking for answers in the world.
just keep coming back to that center

and you will always find peace."

xoxo nikki

(THANKS TO SKY KOLTUN FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL QUOTE)

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THE CHRISTMAS WISH

kermit the frog and john denver

1979

♡

♥ the first americans

2010-11-24T18:53:00.000-05:00

NATIVE AMERICAN INSPIRED HEADPIECES BY LITTLE DOE

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hi everyone! i know i promised a fashion post and it is in the works, but thanksgiving is fast approaching and it got me thinking about our country. no, i am not going to get political here, instead i would like to give appropriate thanks to the first americans...

the native american indians.
i have always felt drawn to this culture and have talked about it in a previous post. native american indians are grounded by nature, have a strong spiritual sense, and are family-oriented. all of the things that i hold dear in my own life. they have combined aspects of their strong traditional culture with contemporary life, without having sacrificed the core of their identity. this strength is evident in ALL that they inspire.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!
xoxo nikki

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ARIKARA GIRL, 1908 (LEFT) KUTENAI WOMAN, 1910 (RIGHT)
VIA EDWARD S. CURTIS: THE WOMEN

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"The Great Spirit has made us what we are;
it is not his will that we should be changed.
If it was his will, he would let us know; if it is not his will,
it would be wrong for us to attempt it,
nor could we, by any art, change our nature."

Seneca Proverb

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NATASHA KHAN OF BAT FOR LASHES

HANDMADE ARROWS BY FREDRICKS + MAE

ARTIST FANNY BOSTROM GENTLE + HUSBAND IN HER HANDMADE TEEPEE, PHOTO VIA THE SELBY

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"What is life?

It is the flash of a firefly in the night,
It is the breath of a buffalo in the winter time.
It is the little shadow which runs across the grass
and loses itself in the sunset."

Crowfoot (Blackfeet), 1919

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A COLLECTION OF APACHE BASKETS
VIA EDWARD S. CURTIS: VISIONS OF THE FIRST AMERICANS

KLAMATH WOMAN, 1923
VIA EDWARD S. CURTIS: THE WOMEN


(LEFT) ACHOMAWI MOTHER + CHILD, 1923 (RIGHT) A HUPA WOMAN WEARING FUR + BEADS, 1923 VIA EDWARD S. CURTIS: VISIONS OF THE FIRST AMERICANS

➾ ➾ ➾ ➾ ➾ ➾ ➾ ➾ ➾ ➾ ➾ ➾ ➾ ➾ ➾ "Everything that gives birth is female.
When men begin to understand the relationships of the
universe that women have always known,
the world will begin to change for the better."

Lorraine Canoe (Mohawk), 1993

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RED MOCCASSINS (ABOVE) + APPLIQUE TOTE (BELOW) BY MANIMAL

DUNTON HOT SPRINGS, COLORADO (ABOVE + BELOW)

A COAT FROM DUSEN DUSEN'S FALL 2010 LINE

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"When you were born,
you cried and the world rejoiced.
Live your life so that when
you die the world
cries and you rejoice."

Cherokee proverb

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JULIETTE LEWIS, ACTRESS AND LEAD SINGER OF JULIETTE + THE LICKS

NATIVE AMERICAN INSPIRED JEWELRY BY MANU (ABOVE + BELOW)

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"The Great Spirit is our father, but the Earth is our mother.
She nourishes us; that which we put into the ground she returns to us,
and healing plants she gives us likewise.
If we are wounded, we go to our mother and seek to lay the
wounded part against her, to be healed."

Big Thunder (Wabanaki Algonquin), late 19th Century

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(LEFT) AN UMATILLA GIRL, 1910
(RIGHT) A TYPICAL NEZ PERCE IN FULL FEATHER HEADRESS, BRAIDED HAIR, AND NECKLACES, 1910
VIA EDWARD S. CURTIS: VISIONS OF THE FIRST AMERICANS

CHEYENNE SUN DANCE LODGE
VIA EDWARD S. CURTIS: VISIONS OF THE FIRST AMERICANS

(LEFT) PRIMITIVE STYLE OF HAIR DRESSING, 1921 (RIGHT) COAST POMO BRIDAL COSTUME, 1924
VIA EDWARD S. CURTIS: THE WOMEN

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"Peace and happiness are available in every moment. Peace is ever step. We shall walk hand in hand. There are no political solutions to spiritual problems. Remember: If the Creator put it there, it is in the right place. The soul would have no rainbow if the eyes had no tears."

Qwatsinas, Nuxalk Nation

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DESIGNER + MUSICIAN CHASE COHL IN HER APARTMENT, SOHO NY HER NATIVE AMERICAN INDIAN BOOT COLLECTION (ABOVE) AND DREAM CATCHER (BELOW) ALL IMAGES VIA THE SELBY

HEADPIECES AS SCENE IN FIRST PHOTO OF POST (ABOVE + BELOW) BY LITTLE DOE

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"Only after the last tree has been cut down,
Only after the last river has been poisoned,
Only after the last fish has been caught,
Only then will you find that money cannot be eaten."

Cree Prophecy

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VINTAGE INDIAN MOTORCYCLE

INSIDE THE FREE CITY STORE

A SNIPPET OF MY EARRING COLLECTION

MY BOYS CELEBRATING THEIR NATIVE AMERICAN IINDIAN ANCESTORY
(THEIR GREAT GREAT GREAT GRANDMOTHER WAS CHEROKEE)

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"Oh Great Spirit of our Ancestors,
To your messengers the four winds, and to Mother Earth
who provides for your children.
Give us the wisdom to teach our children
to love, to respect, and to be kind to
each other so that they may grow with peace of mind.
Let us learn to share all the good things you
provide for us on this earth."

Native American Prayer for Peace

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MOSA-MOJAVE, 1903
VIA EDWARD S. CURTIS: THE WOMEN

(LEFT) WOMAN'S COSTUME + BABY SWING- ASSINIBOIN, 1928 (RIGHT) CAGUSE MOTHER + CHILD, 1911
VIA EDWARD S. CURTIS: THE WOMEN

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ps.
"The faces stare out at you, images seemingly from an ancient time and from a place far, far away. Their names are just as arresting- Shot in the Hand, Two Moon, Bear's Belly, Raven Blanket- monikers that don't immediately register as human. Yet as you gaze at the faces the humanity becomes apparent, lives filled with dignity but also sadness and loss, representatives of a world that has all but disappeared from our planet.

It's startling to learn that these stunning photographs were recorded in the United States and Canada not more than a century ago, images of Indians from tribes being overwhelmed by twentieth century progress. even more surprising is that these images- part of a body of work encompassing 40,000 photographs of American Indian life- were all recorded by a single man, Edward Sheriff Curtis. Curtis was a true visionary and a man driven by the desire-no the need- to record Native American cultures before, they disappeared. Along the way he became, for a time, the most famous photographer in America, fame that during his lifetime proved fleeting and came with a steep price.
Today, Edward Curtis is again acknowledged as one of the country's greatest photographic artists, but this renewed recognition did not come easily. He wrapped up work on his thirty-year Indian project in relative obscurity and when he died in the 1950s few people knew much about him or his work. Curtis was rediscovered in the 1970s as part of America's growing awareness of its long-ignored native people. His photographs and ethnographic data displayed an essential role in educating the country about its Indian tribes and their cultures. Most importantly, Curtis's emotionally charged images were a wake-up call reminding people of all that had been LOST in the rush of American's westward expansion"

- Don Gulbrandsen's
"Edward Sheriff Curtis: Visions of the First Americans

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HORSE AND I

bat for lashes
♥

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keep doing whatever you're doing!

2010-11-09T11:40:00.001-05:00

VIA THE DATING OPTIMIST

inspired...
is what the email was entitled. saturday morning i woke up to the kindest note from scott who writes a motorcycle blog called PIPEBURN. he saw truth + fairy tales posted on THE MOT ART JOURNAL, another big-time blog that also has its own facebook page. this journal of sorts is written by frank who posts all types of inspirational photos and info from fashion to motorcycles to africa. often times i get a bit bummed because i am not sure anyone even reads my blog. so finding out that truth + fairy tales was posted about was just what i needed to keep it going!!!

today i was again surprised and stoked, when a former coworker from my magazine days was inspired by my most recent blog HOPES THAT REACH THE SKY. amy spencer (pretty photo below) is not only one of the nicest most positive people i have met along the publishing way, but also an incredibly talented and witty author of MEETING YOUR HALF ORANGE and blogger of THE DATING OPTIMIST. she is full of ever-inspiring advice in love and life. be sure to check out her blog and pick up a copy of her book... you will be inspired for sure by her genuine enthusiasm and advice.

so be sure to check out these blogs and some of their images posted below. again, huge thanks and big love (as amy says) to my fellow bloggers for giving TRUTH + FAIRY TALES a shout out and for inspiring me to keep inspiring others. ♥ xo nikki

IF I RODE A MOTORCYLE THIS WOULD BE IT!
VIA PIPEBURN


VIA THE MOT ART JOURNAL

DREAM HOUSE!

JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT PAINTING VIA THE MOT ART JOURNAL

PHOTO BY AMY SPENCER VIA THE DATING OPTIMIST

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MELLOW MOOD

bob marley
♡

hopes that reach the sky

2010-11-03T15:50:00.003-04:00

hi everyone... this is a quick little post about a blog my cousin joe let me in on and i couldn't wait to share it with you. the url is HOPES THAT REACH THE SKY, but i believe it is called THE BEGINNING. whatever the case and for some reason, i CANNOT get enough of it!!! the universal blog is filled with awesome quotes that definitely strike a chord with me. i think everyone can relate to at least one of the items posted. the blogger exhibits all kinds of images (although, i could probably do without some of the celeb photos). its a quirky little combo of words, photography + design and i just love it! here are some photos and quotes i am reblogging, but be sure to check out the site directly. currently, i am working on a new post about my own little creation called "fashion karma." until then...enjoy! ♥ ♥ ♥ xo nikki

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IF THERE'S LOVE

citizen cope

♡

punk mandala

2010-10-12T16:48:00.006-04:00

"Jesus died for somebody's
sins but not mine
Meltin' in a pot of thieves
Wild card up my sleeve
Thick heart of stone
My sins my own
They belong to me, me"

patti smith has a lightening bolt tattooed on her knee. she is a joan of arc, she is a warrior. she is not just a muse. she is an artist, poet, musician, fashion icon, mother, and activist.

about a month ago a dear friend of mine, matt burns, wrote to me after having read my blog. he himself, is a designer and a musician and one who loves to be inspired (he is wickedly funny as well). matt had an inkling that patti smith's autobiography JUST KIDS would, in his words, "touch my soul." HE WAS RIGHT! i cannot believe that i have not delved into the work of this great artist until now. some may think patti smith is over the top when it comes to her music, and yes, she definitely walks to the beat of her own unique drum! but this is exactly what i find so appealing. she is an ever-inspiring icon to many who get where she is coming from.

patti smith was born in chicago, but shortly after moved with her family to rural south JERSEY where she was raised (a jersey girl like me). from an early age patti smith innately knew she had something creative inside which needed to emerge. her book begins with...

"When I was very young, my mother took me for walks in Humboldt Park, along the edge of the Prairie River. I have vague memories, like impressions on glass plates, of an old boathouse, a circular band shell, an arched stone bridge. The narrows of the river emptied into a wide lagoon and I saw upon its surface a singular miracle. A long curving neck rose from a dress of white plumage.

Swan, my mother said, sensing my excitement. It patterned the bright water, flapping its great wings, and lifted into the sky. The word alone hardly attested to its magnificence nor conveyed the emotion it produced. The sight of it generated an urge I had no words for, a desire to speak of the swan, to say something of its whiteness, the explosive nature of its movement, and the slow beating of its wings.

The swan became one with the sky. I struggled to find words to describe my own sense of it. Swan, I repeated, not entirely satisfied, and I felt a twinge, a curious yearning, imperceptible to passersby, my mother, the trees, or the clouds."

patti + robert, nyc, 1962

JUST KIDS is patti smith's, magical yet brave story, of the beginning of her life as an artist and how this adventure unfolded back in the late 1960s. leaving her roots in new jersey, she moved to new york city with only a few art supplies, a small suitcase of secondhand clothes, and thirty-two dollars she found in a telephone booth for the bus ride. it is about the unconditional love affair between two young artists who met by fate, patti smith and robert mapplethorpe, also an iconic artist and photographer. bound in innocence and completely committed to each other and creating art; they steadfastly carved their way to fame, in a time where poetry, art, and rock n' roll were all colliding.

"Robert spread it out over the floor for me to see. there were drawings, etchings, and he unrolled some paintings that reminded me of Richard Poussette-Dart and Henri Michaux. Multifarious energies radiated through interweaving words and calligraphic line. Energy fields built with layers of word. Paintings and drawings that seemed to emerge from the subconcious.

There were a set of discs intertwining the words EGO LOVE GOD, merging them with his own name; they seemed to recede and expand over his flat surfaces. As I stared at them, I was compelled to tell him of my nights as a child seeing circular patterns radiating on the ceiling. He opened a book on Tantric art. "Like this?" he asked. "Yes."

I recognized with amazement the celestial circles of my childhood. A mandala.
I was particularly moved by the drawing he had done on memorial day. I had never seen anything like it. What also struck me was the date: Joan of Arc's feast day. The same day I had promised to make something of myself before her statue.

I told him this, and he responded that the drawing was symbolic of his own commmitment to art, made on the same day. He gave it to me without hesitation and I understood that in this small space of time we had mutually surrendered our loneliness and replaced it with trust."

flower by robert mapplethorpe

after reading JUST KIDS and falling in love with patti smith and her inspiring, and often times spiritual story, i needed more! while saturating myself with her music, specifically her debut album HORSES, and searching for more information about her, i came across a beautiful documentary by steven sebring. the film called DREAM OF LIFE aired a few years back on PBS. of course I couldn't wait to share this with matt who watched it this past weekend and loved it. he wrote "it gave me a real sense of who she is and how she lives her life. very inspirational and moving. i love her natural way of being and sensitivity to everything that surrounds her. she's a true individual, not a follower...." (see i told you!!!) the moving film is a work of art in itself. it documents 12 years of patti smith's life, with clips from her early years in new york city to close to present time, giving a glimpse into her life, as not only an artist, but a wife and mother to her two children jackson and jesse.

(left to right) jackson, patti, and jesse at home, photo by annie leibovitz

patti smith is a legend; an early pioneer of punk rock. she is an artist's artist. she is the paragon of cool, yet she does not seem to have a celebrity air about her. she has integrity and she is sincere. patti smith is, as matt said, not a follower but completely individualistic. she believes and states at the opening of the documentary that "life is an adventure of our own design, intersected by fate, and a series of lucky and unlucky accidents." this cannot be more true. patti smith is definitely of her own design. these are prolific words to live by and a question we should all ponder. ARE YOU OF YOUR OWN DESIGN?

i just don't think i can do patti smith's lyrically written autobiography or the documentary justice in this post. i have not given the whole story about her fascinating life so that you have the opportunity to uncover all the intricate details on your own accord. you have to experience her music, her poetry, her art to feel the mandala unfold. her story truly is poetic, spiritual, and beautiful. and i promise...it will definitely inspire you! xo nikki

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GLORIA

horses

patti smith

♡

a hard drive

2010-09-12T09:59:00.000-04:00

VINTAGE PHOTO VIA CHICO MOTO, BUT I SPOTTED IT ON 4Q CONDITIONING (THANKS TO BOTH!)

sometimes technology really gets me down and i just want to go back in time to much simpler days. my imac's hard drive decided to fail, so it might be a week or two before a new post. just letting everyone know that i am in fact still blogging! i have three new posts in the works so until then... xo nikki

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TIGHTEN UP

brothers

the black keys

♡

the bliss bubble

2010-08-25T13:11:00.027-04:00

JUMPING ON THE GROUNDS OF KRIPALU AND A STATUE OF BUDDHA (BELOW)

...still trying to remain in my "bliss bubble" after attending my first-ever yoga retreat. i have been sitting here staring at this blank screen trying to figure out how i could possibly sum up the weekend i experienced, with one of my best friends lauren, at kripalu in stockbridge, massachusetts. it was as yoga has always been to me... magical, eye opening, inspiring, and deeply fulfilling. OM...

"kripalu center for yoga & health is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to promoting the art and science of yoga to produce thriving and health in individuals and society. for more than 30 years, kripalu (kri-PAH-loo) has been teaching skills for optimal living through experiential education for the whole person: body, mind, and spirit. it is the largest and most established retreat center for yoga, health, and holistic living in north america. programs at kripalu are led by many of the world’s most accomplished teachers in yoga, self-discovery,
and holistic health and are

designed to provide people with tools they can apply in their daily lives. program topics include wellness, ayurveda, nutrition, fitness, personal growth, relationships, meditation, spiritual practice, professional training, and much more. yoga programs are offered for people at all levels, feature all yoga traditions and styles, and include therapeutic yoga, yogic anatomy, and trainings for teachers. many kripalu programs offer continuing education credits for professionals in fields such as social work, counseling, nursing, and massage and bodywork." -via Kripalu.org


HAVEN CAFE AND BAKERY LENOX, MASS

before arriving at kripalu, lauren and i had lunch at haven cafe and bakery in lenox, mass. this adorable and inviting place run by owner and head chef, shelly williams, is definitely worth the stop if you are ever in the berkshires. she also catered my sister's wedding at stonover farm (a beautiful bed and breakfast) in lenox so i was excited to get another taste of her yummy food. we shared chicken quesadillas and polenta with caramelized onions, mushrooms, and pesto. everything is local and organic and shelly even offers gluten free options... DELICIOUS and healthy too!!!!! so on to why we came to the berkshires....

CHICKEN QUESADILLAS AT HAVEN


POLENTA WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS, MUSHROOMS, AND PESTO AT HAVEN

KRIPALU is a stunning place, with rolling green hills, beautiful mountains and a lake that provides the most gorgeous eye candy!!! the annex building, where lauren and i stayed, was modern and most importantly environmentally green. it gave us the most perfect resting place when we were not practicing yoga. not only was the annex building beautiful, but the grounds were as well. sculptures, flowers, even bunnies were sighted during our three day weekend :)

A SITTING AREA INSIDE THE ANNEX

OUR ROOM EVEN HAD MARIMEKKO PILLOWS!

PRAYER BEADS AT THE KRIPALU STORE

SCULPTURES AND TOMATOES ENTWINED

TWIN BUNNIES, HOW CUTE!

SHIVA THE LORD OF TRANSFORMATION

lauren and i signed up for yoga evolution with travis eliot. a yoga teacher from santa monica, california. he brings a street vibe to his practice, along with a really chill positive attitude. travis shares his own personal knowledge and holistic views about the different aspects of yoga which truly allow the student to become their own teacher. we learned about...

"kirtan which comes from the yoga path of bhakti (love and devotion). it is the chanting of traditional sanskrit mantras synergized with dynamic melodies. it is the calling, the yearning, the crying to connect with the divine. the beauty is that chanting shows us we are already in this state of "oneness," it's just about dissolving the maya (illusion) of separateness. chanting ignites every life-tron of our being absorbing us into a state of bliss. add the power of chanting within a group setting and ecstasy becomes absolutely boundless!! kirtan is for anyone and everyone regardless of background. It is the universal language of the heart..." -via www.traviseliot.com

TRAVIS PLAYING THE HARMONIUM DURING KIRTAN

we were also asked to set our sankalpa (intention) on what we wanted out of the weekend and of course we did some serious power yoga which helps to rid the body of toxins, open channels, get endorphins going, and deepen the breath...so there was breathing, breathing, and more breathing(pranayama)! along with travis and his beautiful singer kelsey, we chanted to ganesha to help remove obstacles and to shiva the lord of tranformation in hopes to all evolve in some way. on saturday, we did a three hour long dynamic yoga class (which lauren and i swore we would not get through after the two hour class the previous night) but the energy in the room carried and filled us with what we needed to finish. sunday we ended with a relaxing flow of yoga that definitely opened our hearts to allow for an evolution; to help us transform in a positive way and bring this energy back into our lives at home. i have always wanted to become a yoga teacher and this experience definitely rekindled that inside of me!

KELSEY AND TRAVIS RIGHT BEFORE KIRTAN

ADHO MUKHA SVANASANA AKA DOWNWARD FACING DOG

LAUREN & I: OLD FRIENDS ARE THE BEST FRIENDS

GANESHA , A HINDU GOD, CREATES THE FAITH TO REMOVE ALL OBSTACLES

the simple truth is...yoga has always been there for me, keeping me calm in a world that can often be hectic and chaotic. the weekend at kripalu reminded me just how important yoga is to me and how it can not only give me a strong body and mind, but a full heart. it just takes looking inside and staying present. the yogis teach us that everything we could ever want already exists within...all the love, all the creativity, all the grace, all the health....we just have to tap into it! ♥ namaste, nikki

psssss: the gesture namaste represents the belief that there is a DIVINE spark within each of us that is located in the heart chakra. the gesture is an acknowledgment of the soul in one by the soul in another. "nama" means bow, "as" means i, and "te" means you. therefore, namaste literally means "bow me you" or "i bow to you." -via yoga journal

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ONE ROAD TO FREEDOM

fight for your mind

ben harper
♡

there's no place like home...

2010-08-08T21:36:00.000-04:00

six months before my first son christian was born, i left the magazine world, GLAMOUR to be exact, to become a full-time mom. i do not think at the time i realized how hard it would be to forgo my creative outlet, and instead be nursing and changing diapers. BUT when i do something i usually go all in! six years later and another baby born (micah is now two), i have learned the importance of my personal space, the place i spend the most time with my boys. i believe i spun a lot of artistic nature into my surroundings, so much so that it became my new creative outlet; my palette and my painting. i understand the need to express inner thoughts, ideas, and theories about life and have these concepts eventually displayed in a tangible space, one that we all know as HOME. so when i found THE SELBY IS IN YOUR PLACE, revealing many different types of creative individual's homes, the site immediately became one of my absolute daily favorites. shortly after, most of these beautiful and inspiring photos were published in a book of the same title.

todd selby, the man behind the project, is a photographer and illustrator. his photos portray an insider’s view of creative individuals in their personal spaces with an artist's eye for detail. the selby is filled with ideas and details that are beyond inspirational, and also international, featuring interiors from manhattan to milan to mexico. here are a few selby images for you...

SO... i thought i would give you an insider's look of the home i share with my boys, our portugese water dog talulah, and our hermit crab hermie (christian would not be happy if this creature was not included- lol). now i am nowhere near as cool as any of the peeps in the selby, but it certainly can't hurt to share. the home is a 1972 wide line ranch that sits on a mountainside, 40 minutes outside of new york city. we like to call it the tree house, as it is surrounded by many tall oaks and pines, remember a woodpecker did fly in! i love that it isn't far from the city and all its culture, yet we get to enjoy nature, privacy, and quiet on a daily basis (well at least when the boys aren't screaming!!!). it is an everyday event that christian and micah spot a red cardinal or an owl from our windows. although, i have to admit sometimes the wild turkeys stomping around on our roof can get annoying, but it's worth it!!! hope you enjoy the view...

bohemian modern: living in silver lake by barbara bestor

besides the selby book, i have a few other favorite interior home and architecture books that i draw a lot of inspiration from. the first book and my personal favorite is barbara bestor's BOHEMIAN MODERN: LIVING IN SILVER LAKE. she is a yale graduate of architecture, the mother of two girls, and has her own incredibly hip architectural design firm in LA, california. talk about doing it all!!! her work mixes vintage and modern seamlessly. she is also into being cost effective (for example: she loves to use commercial windows because they are less costly). she is definitely my hero!!!

domino the book of decorating by deborah needleman, sara ruffin costello, and dara caponigro

the second book worth mentioning, and one that is closest to my heart for a few reasons, is DOMINO THE BOOK OF DECORATING. i was a huge fan of domino and used to work with sara ruffin costello, the creative director, back in the day at glamour magazine. she is not only extremely talented, but also one of the nicest people in the industry. domino had perfect idea after perfect idea and it is just plain sad that it folded. so many of us miss you domino!!! luckily we have a book that commemorates this awesome mag.

downtown chic by cortney and robert novogratz, photos from their great barrington home

via cococozy

the last book to mention, but certainly not the least is DOWNTOWN CHIC. some of you may have caught the show 9 BY DESIGN on bravo a few months back giving us a glimpse into the life of the novogratz family. husband and wife design team cortney and robert novogratz are the founders of sixx design in new york city. not only do they have seven children (yes you heard me correct) but they also have a great eye for mixing old and new with tons of bold color and a slight quirkiness that always pleasantly surprises. my favorite, is their great barrington, massachusetts country home. not only do i dig the yellow shutters, but the open sun-filled rooms with pops of color throughout make me SMILE.

via cococozy

i hope you enjoyed the insiders look at my home, as well as, four of my favorite books: the selby is in your place, bohemian modern: living in silver lake, domino the book of decorating, and downtown chic. for some it may be overwhelming to feel you can achieve what these books illustrate, but really it is possible and it does not have to cost a pretty penny. garage sales, flea markets, ebay, and even ikea are all inexpensive ways to find the diamond in the rough, that one piece that makes your home individually unique. all you need is the inspiration, that photo that sparks the idea. maybe some of these images or books will do that for you or maybe you already have done that for yourself. whatever the case, creating your space so that it portrays who you are inside is like using your home as a palette. this means that everyone can be an artist, everyone can CREATE in some way, shape, or form. don't sell yourself short!!! xo nikki

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SADIE

the milk-eyed mender

joanna newsom

♡
"down where i darn with the milk-eyed mender
you and i, and a love so tender,
is stretched-on the hoop where i stitch-this adage:
"bless this house and its heart so savage."

i ♥ magazines

2010-07-29T21:56:00.004-04:00

i have always loved magazines. ever since i can remember i was carrying one around. i used to beg my mother in the grocery store aisle to buy me just one more. i am forever a dreamer and magazines were my escape, my window into another world.

my first-ever "real" job out of college was an internship as an art assistant at working woman magazine in 1994. honestly, i had no idea what i wanted to do after i received my bachelor of fine arts, with a concentration in graphic design. i just knew i LOVED magazines. so without any help and very little knowledge, i went to the book store (no internet back than kids!!!) and grabbed a stack of any and every magazine that looked interesting... and off the resumes went. i was literally jumping for joy when the letter came in the mail that working woman was interested in me. i didn't know it yet but i was very lucky, because i met a freelance graphic designer at that internship who would end up introducing me to the creative and talented group of designers and editors i would work with for the next 15 years. along with this good fortune, working woman was literally across the hall from sassy magazine. this at the time was the edgiest, hippest, young women's alternative magazine out there. so it was ridiculously exciting to walk onto that floor everyday. after sassy folded, the editor in chief jane pratt, went on to create jane magazine, another one of my favorites. i do believe sassy magazine started my love for alternative and indie culture. thank you sassy!!!

my first paid job at a magazine was as an art assistant for YM magazine, so i know a thing or two about teen mags. today while browsing refinery 29, i came across a new indie teen magazine that is launching tomorrow: hardly magazine. this new online canadian magazine has been likened to sassy and hopes to accomplish something very important in my opinion and what my blog aims to achieve as well...

"those magazines had their own voice, but they also spoke to us—they gave us a voice. they reminded you that the world was bigger than your high school, and they introduced you to bands, writers, artists, and fashion designers that made the world beyond your immediate experience seem unbelievably exciting."

- founder of hardly magazine,

jennifer lee via refinery 29

IMAGES FROM HARDLY MAGAZINE VIA REFINERY 29

last but not least, i have to mention another magazine that always brings it when it comes to indie culture. NYLON magazine is probably one of my all time favorites. i have been following it since day one and even have the very first issue packed away in my closet. it has ever inspiring fashion and beauty and is always on the forefront of awesome music. while so many of the good ones (i miss domino) have gone under, i am just happy in this rough market it has managed to stay alive.

so a little PS before i end this post: i must thank magazines from the bottom of my heart (corny as it sounds). through them, i learned to dream and to always be inspired, found a career where i felt at home, and also discovered an important life lesson... way more really does exist beyond our immediate experience. xo nikk

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PAGAN POETRY

vespertine

bjork
♡

2010-07-28T19:54:00.000-04:00

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scar tissue & sapsuckers

2010-07-23T21:38:00.012-04:00

scar tissue and sapsuckers... what could these two things possibly have in common? you must be thinking i have gone crazy (well maybe a little lol). so just the other day i was reading "scar tissue" by anthony kiedis. it is a new york times best seller and i think a good read for the summer. if a long battle with drug addiction and the story behind the red hot chili peppers' rise to fame intrigue you than definitely pick it up. anyway, let me get to the story of how a bird could possibly connect with this book. in chapter 11, anthony talks about having experiences with animal spirits. he definitely has an affinity with the native american culture as do i, but who knows if that has anything to do with anything! i thought this was very interesting and made a note of it. the next day as i was returning home, i unintentionally left the door to my house open, while i helped my two year old son micah get into the house. all of a sudden i see out of the corner of my eye a large bird fly in. long story short, the bird turned out to be a yellow bellied sapsucker, aka, a woodpecker.

i was so blown away by this sapsucker experience, and being that i am a spiritual kind of girl, i decided to look up what symbolic meanings this might have. one of the most popular elements of native american culture is the role of animal spirit guides. animals that represent parts of ourselves can teach us to integrate, heal, and develop both our weaknesses and our strengths. below are some of the symbolic meanings of the woodpecker and soooo many seem to pertain to my life right now, and maybe yours:
(illustration by charley harper)

✭ nurture ideas in the womb of our core passions
✭ going back to one's roots
✭ use our intellect to think up innovative solutions to overcome barriers
✭ communicate our ideas in more creative or non-traditional ways
✭ look at projects in unique creative ways to bring new life to an idea

it has been said that a woodpecker's call is like the drum beat of the heart, awakening the spirit into action. this bird guides us to seek our individual way of being, teaching us that it is okay to discover truth in our own way. if you remember i wrote something similar in my first post. i have been wanting to start this blog for sometime, but it wasn't until the woodpecker flew in that i was able to begin. hopefully you too can learn something from this symbolic bird. xo nikki

✱ song of the moment

APACHE ROSE PEACOCK

blood sugar sex magik

red hot chili peppers

a saturday in brooklyn

2010-07-22T16:07:00.000-04:00

a little over a month ago, i went to a sample sale at LENA CORWIN'S STUDIO in fort greene, brooklyn to see if i could score a dress by one of my favorite designers: MOCIUN. i did get lucky enough to get the dress for more than half-off so i was super psyched! caitlin mociun, the designer behind it all, uses organic materials with bauhaus-inspired prints throughout her clothing line. she also makes beautiful jewelry as well(see my necklaces above). i love the independent feel of what she does. you most definitely know that if you are wearing one of her dresses you WILL NOT be spotting five other clones just like you. that in itself is what draws me to independent, self employed designers.

another designer i stumbled upon at the sample sale was MANU. i instantly fell in love with the raw nature and native american feel of lauren manoogian's jewelry. i snapped up two of her bracelets and the other two were given to me as a birthday gift ♥. i do regret not having purchased one of her necklaces, that believe or not are made of paperclips and tape. i will probably be on an online hunt to find the necklace i should have bought! well that is enough babbling on about my two favorite designers of the moment. i will be posting a few other independent designers that ROCK in some upcoming posts. until then... xo nikki

✱ song of the moment

SATISFY MY SOUL

kaya 1978

bob marley & the wailers

(this entire album

is awesome!)

i am all about vintage

2010-07-21T15:29:00.001-04:00

vintage, vintage, vintage! i love owning something that has a history, a past life, a story, a tale. so, i thought i would share a photo of these ceramic vintage vases i purchased on ebay awhile back. i first spotted them on the style files http://style-files.com/2009/09/23/vase-collection-for-sale-on-ebay/ which is a beautiful site full of global international finds. this is my first collection of something and that makes me happy (well besides vintage clothing)! some other things i cherish that have a history: the credenza was my grandmother's (it has been painted the color bon voyage by behr paint), the iron sculpture was given to my parents as a wedding gift in 1970, the driftwood is from beach bungalow in sag harbor, ny, and the portrait is of me at 3 years of age from 1975. i am dating myself here...ooops! keep your eyes out for some vintage clothing posts in the future. xo nikki

✱ song of the moment

SIDEWAYS

the clarence greenwood recordings

citizen cope

day one. i ♥ you

2010-07-21T10:26:00.001-04:00

hello to all who stumble upon my first-ever blog and post! i started this as an art project of sorts to share ideas, images, design, art, fashion, music, books, places, food and pretty much anything that inspires me. what is life without inspiration?

the middle photo entitled "i ♥ you" was taken by me while walking in a parking lot with one of my oldest friends kristy. i spotted this vine on a black plastic fence and it immediately reminded me of this photography book i recently bought called "FOCUS:LOVE Your World, Your Images." i love that sometimes you can find beauty in the most random places. it makes me think about life and how you can choose to discover TRUTH in your own personal way, or to be a little more enchanting, decide to view life as a FAIRY TALE. please feel free to leave comments or share anything that inspires you. enjoy! xo nikki

✱ song of the moment
I'D RATHER GO BLIND
etta james

(since i kind of can't
breathe without music
on at all times,
i thought it might
be fun to share what
i am listening to
each time i post)